Shelved cupboard for refrigerated goods and method of controlled/regulated circulation of air in the shelved cupboard

ABSTRACT

A shelved cupboard for refrigerated goods comprises an opening ( 1 ) for putting in or taking out refrigerated goods ( 2 ) and a ducting arrangement ( 3-10 ) for circulating of cooled air form a cooling element ( 11 ) provided thereto. The ducting arrangement ( 3-10 ) enables cooled air to be carried in separate streams, partly in between the refrigerated goods ( 2 ) and partly past the opening ( 1 ) in order to create a screening layer. The distribution of cooled air between the refrigerated goods ( 2 ) takes place via an outlet nozzle ( 7 ) at an end of an overlying shelf ( 12 ), while the distribution of cooled air to the screening layer takes place via an outlet nozzle ( 10 ) near the upper transverse end of the opening ( 1 ). The creation of the screening layer is brought about by means of cooled air that has first been led in between the refrigerated goods ( 2 ), in order then to become somewhat less cooled than cooled air directly from the cooling element ( 11 ), whereupon such less cooled air is drawn into a ducting section ( 8 ) through perforations ( 13 ) in the back wall ( 12 ) of the goods compartment, and then passed form the perforated ducting section ( 8 ) through an upper ducting section ( 9 ) and finally distributed via the outlet nozzle ( 10 ) near the opening ( 1 ).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is the U.S. national stage application ofInternational Application PCT/NO01/0261, filed Jun. 21, 2001, whichinternational application was published on Jan. 24, 2002 asInternational Publication WO 02/05689. The International Applicationclaims priority of Norwegian Patent Application 2003327, filed Jun. 26,2000 and Norwegian Patent Application 20012296, filed May 10, 2001.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention regards a shelved cupboard for refrigerated goods,comprising an opening for putting in or removing refrigerated goods andan arrangement of ducts for circulation of cooled air from an associatedcooling element, such as an evaporation battery, and which in otherrespects is also designed and constructed in accordance with theintroductory part of claim 1. The air that is circulated in the ductingsystem and the interior of the cupboard, as well as between therefrigerated goods, may be cooled to a greater or lesser degree (primaryand secondary air). Primary air is the colder of the two and is led toimmediate contact with the most exposed part of the refrigerated goods,directly—via the cupboard shelves and, thereupon—via the interior of thecupboard to the front of the cupboard forming a screen, to reduce thepenetration of room air, thus indirectly cooling the refrigerated goods.

The invention also regards a method of regulated/controlled circulationof air in a shelved cupboard of the type in question, which method is inaccordance with claim 18.

The ducting arrangement is designed so as to let cooled air be carriedin separated streams, first in between the refrigerated goods; and thenpast the front opening in order to form a screening layer inside this,so as to keep the temperature of the refrigerated goods at a desiredlevel and prevent indoor air from entering the shelved cupboard throughthe opening. The cooled (primary) air that is to be led in between therefrigerated goods on the shelf, is distributed via at least one outletnozzle provided near the outer edge of an overlying shelf, and somewhatless cold air (secondary air) that is to be led past the opening isdistributed via at least one outlet nozzle provided near the upper frontedge of the opening.

A main problem associated with shelved cupboards for refrigerated goodsis to avoid necessary removal of frost and ice, that will always form onthe associated cooling element, from causing undesirable warming of therefrigerated goods in the shelved cupboard. In previously known shelvedcupboards, the indoor air is, as shown in DE 1 501 247, generallyprevented from entering by a screening layer of cooled air that isformed inside the opening of the shelved cupboard. However the requiredremoval of frost and ice on the cooling element is carried out invarious manners, e.g. by direct passage of warm indoor air in theducting arrangement as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,852.

A stable and sufficient supply of cooled air to be past the opening inorder to form the screening layer, together with a sufficiently lowtemperature of the cooled air to be carried in between the refrigeratedgoods, constitutes the criterion for efficient operation of the shelvedcupboard. As aqueous refrigerated goods that contain a certain amount ofsalt, sugar or other additives normally freeze at −1° C., thetemperature of the goods is normally kept at between −1° C. and +4° C.,thereby to prevent the refrigerated goods from sustaining frost damageor freezing to the shelves. Another fact that imposes limitations on theacceptable temperature of the primary air from the cooling element isthat the amount of frost and ice formed on the cooling element willincrease as the temperature decreases. Furthermore, the amount of frostand ice formed on the cooling element will always vary with thetemperature and humidity of the air outside the shelved cupboard. Aparticular disadvantage of having frost and ice forming on the coolingelement is that the amount of cooled air given off by the commonly usedcooling elements will taper off to nothing as the volume of frost andice on the cooling element grows and blocks the air passages. As such, astable and sufficient volume of air to the screening layer will not beavailable.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,818 describes a shelved cupboard for refrigeratedgoods, in which the shelves are shaped so as to be hollow with openends, and are connected to a vertically disposed duct for downward flowof cold air. A disadvantage of this known refrigerator with an uncoveredopening is that warmer indoor air can easily enter the interior of thecupboard and get into contact with the refrigerated goods via theuncovered cupboard opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improvedshelved cupboard for refrigerated goods, of the type described by way ofintroduction. This is realised in the manner that appears from thecharacteristion of the claims.

The method according to the invention is distinguished through thecombination of operational steps stated in the claims.

An important feature of the invention consists in the reuse of theprimary air as secondary air without additional use of energy to coolit. Towards the end of one cycle the secondary air is to be led past theopening in order to form the screening layer (air curtain), after itfirst has passed in between the refrigerated goods in the form ofprimary air, in order to cool and thereby absorb heat from these,whereupon such, now less cold air is drawn into a ducting sectionthrough at least one perforation in the back wall of the refrigeratedgoods compartment, and then passed from the perforated ducting sectionthrough an upper ducting section and finally distributed via the outletnozzle(s) near the opening. This allows cooled air from the coolingelement to be used in a far more efficient manner, first to envelop anddirectly cool the refrigerated goods, and then (in a less coldercondition, such as secondary air) to form the screening layer inside theopening of the shelved cupboard. The ducting arrangement may also beused when removing frost and ice from the cooling element, i.e. fordefrosting, in a manner that prevents any significant amount of warmindoor air from being induced into the refrigerated goods. Using twofans connected directly in series will ensure a sufficient quantity ofair to the screening layer at defrosting.

The shelved cupboard may be provided with a third adjustable fan forcreating a separate outer layer of indoor air outside of the screeninglayer. Provided the fan for indoor air is adjusted so as allow bothlayers to flow in a laminar fashion relative to each other, the presenceof the outer layer of indoor air outside the screening layer will reducethe entry of indoor air through the opening in an economical way bothduring normal cooling operation and during defrosting.

A ducting section for supply of cooled air from the cooling element tothe outlet nozzle(s) in the shelf in question through a ducting sectionarranged in the shelf may, by means of a rotatable damper, be connecteddirectly to the upper ducting section with the outlet nozzle(s) near theopening. When the damper is rotated to a position for closing off theperforated ducting section and the cooling element is not active, theair will circulate in selected ducting sections during defrosting of thecooling element. Thus the defrosting of the cooling element can becontrolled in a far more efficient manner than in previously knownshelved cupboards. One of several advantages of using such a rotatabledamper in the ducting arrangement is that the refrigerated goods willnot be exposed to warm air through the nozzles in the shelf/shelvesduring defrosting.

The upper ducting section, which during normal operation connects theperforated ducting section with the outlet nozzle(s) near the opening,is provided with a fan for drawing secondary air into the perforatedducting section and then feeding it through the various ducting sectionsfor distribution to create the screening layer via the outlet nozzle(s)near the opening. In addition, a lower ducting section connected to theducting section for feeding primary air from the cooling element throughthe ducting section in the shelf in question to the outlet nozzle(s)near the end of the shelf, is provided with a fan. This entails the fansin the shelved cupboard being connected directly in series during thedefrosting, thus giving a shorter defrosting time due to the increasedcirculation rate in the ducting section.

In order to avoid the refrigerated goods being frost damaged or freezingto the cold shelves containing primary air ducts, each shelf may beprovided with a spacer that keeps the refrigerated goods at a suitabledistance above the shelf body.

Measures may be taken on the outside of the air curtain that acts toscreen the opening and thereby prevent entry of indoor air into theinner cavity of the shelved cupboard, which measures are intended toestablish and later maintain a second air curtain immediately outsidethe cupboard opening. This is brought about by forming a duct outsidethe cupboard, in front of its front wall, above the perimeter of saidopening. This duct runs indoor air, so that the outer air curtain infront of the opening will be at a higher temperature than the secondaryair flowing in the ducting system.

By an embodiment of the shelved cupboard that is distinguished by simplemanufacture, cooled air (primary air) is introduced into a first upwardducting section, which air is drawn through a cooling element via a fanin a lower horizontal ducting section. This first ducting sectioncommunicates with the interior cavity of the shelved cupboard viathrough cavities in the hollow shelves, the interior cavity being filledwith cooled air that has absorbed some of the thermal energy of therefrigerated goods on shelves and thus should be considered secondaryair. Via through pipes/ports that extend in a sealing manner through thevertical walls defining the first ducting section, the interior cavityof the shelved cupboard in front of and between the shelves is in fluidcommunication with a second ducting section for secondary air, locatedin parallel with and to the rear of the first ducting section. At thetop, this second, rear upward ducting section passes into a horizontal,forward (directed towards the cupboard opening) ducting section equippedwith a fan. The outlet nozzle is formed by the outermost end of thishorizontal ducting section, retracted slightly from the face of thosewall portions defining the cupboard opening from above, below and fromthe sides.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention will now be explained in greater detail by meansof a preferred embodiment shown in the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic vertical section through a shelved cupboardcomprising a front opening for putting in or taking out refrigeratedgoods, and a ducting arrangement designed so as to allow cooled primaryair from an ancillary cooling element to be passed first in between therefrigerated goods via an outlet nozzle by the front end of an overlyingshelf, thereby to absorb heat from the goods, whereupon such now lesscool secondary air is drawn into a ducting section having perforations,is passed from this and distributed for creation of the screening layervia the outlet nozzle by the opening; and

FIG. 2 shows a vertical section similar to that of FIG. 1, apart fromthe fact that the cooling element is being defrosted with the coolingprocess shut down, where a rotatable damper provided by the upper end ofa ducting section for feeding of cooled primary air from the coolingelement to the outlet nozzle in the shelf in question through a ductingsection provided in the shelf, has been rotated to a position in whichit closes off the perforated ducting section and connects thefirst-mentioned ducting section to an upper ducting section connected tothe outlet nozzle near the opening, so that air which is now notactively being cooled may circulate in selected portions of the ductingarrangement during the defrosting and maintain a screening layer;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged perspective part drawing in which small cornerportions have been cut away in order to illustrate the internalstructure;

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of a shelved cupboard according to theinvention, in which the cooling element is placed in the upper part ofthe internal cavity of the shelved cupboard, and where the aircirculations and air flows follow paths and flow patterns correspondingto the normal operating state of the shelved cupboard;

FIG. 5 shows the same embodiment as FIG. 4, but where a rotatable damperis set so as to leave the ducting system of the shelved cupboard in adefrosting mode w.r.t. the cooling element;

FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of a shelved cupboard according to theinvention; and

FIG. 7 shows an enlarged perspective view similar to FIG. 3, butassociated with the embodiment shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 to 3, which show said firstembodiment of the invention.

The present shelved cupboard has four vertical wall sections and twohorizontal end sections, an opening 1 for putting in or taking outrefrigerated goods 2, as well as a number of shelves 12 and a lower,basket-like shelf 21 for placing refrigerated goods in the shelvedcupboard. The wall and end sections are normally provided with asuitable insulating material. Beyond that, it will be appreciated thatthe shelved cupboard is not limited to the rectangular cross-sectionshown, as any other expedient cross-section and dimension may beselected for all the principal directions of the shelved cupboard.

Cooled air that is to circulate in the shelved cupboard is deliveredfrom a cooling element 11, e.g. an evaporation battery, positioned in alower ducting section 4. The cooling element 11 is provided with a drain20 to allow condensation water to be passed out through the lower endsection of the shelved cupboard.

The shelves 12 for storing the refrigerated goods 2 are equipped with aspacer 18 that keeps the refrigerated goods at a suitable distance abovethe shelf. The spacer 18 has a front stop edge that extends upwards soas to prevent the refrigerated goods from falling off the shelf 12 evenwhen the shelf 12 slopes downwards. Use may for instance be made ofspecial distance pieces (not shown) that keep the spacer 18 at adistance from the shelf 12, and the spacer 18 may be made from asuitable insulating material. In addition, the spacer 18 may be providedwith perforations (not shown). This enables cooled air that has been ledinto the gap between the shelf 12 and the spacer 18 to flow further upbetween the refrigerated goods 2, thereby to enhance the cooling effect.

The shelved cupboard comprises a ducting arrangement 3-10 forcirculating cooled air from the cooling element 11 in separate streams,partly in between the refrigerated goods 2; partly past the opening 1for formation of a screening layer inside the opening. Cooled air thatis to be led in between the refrigerated goods 2 located on the shelves12 is supplied from the cooling element 11 through a ducting section 5connected to the lower ducting section 4 with the cooling element 11,from there through associated ducting sections 6 provided in separateoverlying shelves 12, further to at least one outlet nozzle 7 near theend of the shelf facing the opening 1. Cooled air that is to be sentpast the opening 1 is supplied from a ducting section 8 with at leastone perforation 13 above the shelves 12 in question, from there throughan upper ducting section 9 connected to the perforated ducting section8, to at least one outlet nozzle 10 near the upper transverse end of theopening 1. The lower ducting section 4 with the cooling element 11 isprovided with a separate ducting section 3 that faces upwards by thelower transverse end of the opening 1 and is designed to catch cooledair from the screening layer.

As shown in FIG. 1, cooled air for creating the screening layer insidethe opening is first passed in between the refrigerated goods 2, so thatthe temperature will rise slightly relative to the temperature of cooledair directly from the cooling element 11, whereupon such less coldsecondary air is drawn into the perforated ducting section 8 via theperforations 13, through the associated upper ducting section 9, and isfinally distributed via the outlet nozzle 10 near the opening.

Preferably, the lower ducting section 4 with the cooling element 11, thevertical ducting sections 5, 8 and the upper ducting section 9 areformed by means of separate dividing elements that extend horizontallyor vertically between opposite side walls of the shelved cupboard. Inaddition, some or all of said ducting sections may be provided with oneor more transverse dividing elements (not shown), so that the ductingsections are divided into several passages or end up with a smallerwidth than the actual shelved cupboard. The ducting sections 6 throughthe shelves 12 may either be constituted by a single, or be divided intoseveral separate passages. Communication between the ducting section 5and the ducting sections 6 in the shelves 12 may for instance beeffected by means of at least one piece of piping 8′ that extendsthrough the perforated ducting section 8.

Drawing less cooled secondary air into the perforated ducting section 8and subsequently leading it from there to the outlet nozzle 10 near theopening 1 takes place by means of a fan 16 positioned in the upperducting section 9. Supply of cooled primary air from the cooling element11 to the outlet nozzles 7 near the end of the shelves takes place bymeans of a fan 17 positioned in the lower ducting section 4 downstreamof the cooling element 11.

In order to form a separate layer of indoor air to cover the opening 1outside of the screening layer, the shelved cupboard is provided with anadjustable fan 15 for indoor air, which is placed above the uppertransverse end of the opening 1. The fan 15 is associated with a ductingsection 19 that effects an even distribution of the layer of indoor airacross the opening 1. The lower transverse edge of the opening is in theform of a bevel 22, the lower part of which will deflect the layer ofindoor air outwards from the shelved cupboard. The operation of the fan15 for indoor air can, e.g. through two-speed operation, be matched tothe operation of the fans 16, 17 inside the shelved cupboard, so as tolet the respective layers flow in a laminar fashion relative to eachother.

Beyond that, the ducting section 5 for supply of cooled air from thecooling element 11 is, in a transition portion to the perforated ductingsection 8, provided with a rotatable is damper 14. By that means, theducting section 5, which is normally intended for supply of cooledprimary air from the cooling element 11, may be connected to the upperducting section 9 that leads to the outlet nozzle 10 near the opening 1.In this manner, the cooling element 11 may, as shown in FIG. 2, bedefrosted by circulating less cooled air in selected ducting sections 3,4, 5, 9, 10 of the ducting arrangement when the damper 14 is rotated toa position in which it closes off the perforated ducting section 8, andthe cooling element 11 is not active.

The fan 17 in the lower ducting section 4 will, when the cooling elementis completely free of ice formations, drive a slightly larger quantityof air in the ducting arrangement than the fan 16 in the upper ductingsection 9. As long as the cooling element 11 is relatively free of iceand frost, the temperature difference between cooled air from thecooling element 11, which is carried in between the refrigerated goods2, and less cooled air, which forms the screening layer, will be in therange 2-5° C. With more frost and ice on the cooling element 11, the airflow from the fan 17 in the lower ducting section 4 will decrease. Withthis, the fan 16 in the upper ducting section 9 will draw secondary airfrom the screening layer, mixed with some indoor air, into the shelvedcupboard and cause a noticeable increase in the temperature difference.This effect is a new method of providing demand-driven defrosting of thecooling element 11.

The defrosting may be initiated automatically as a result of theincreasing temperature of the air in the perforated ducting section 8 asmore secondary air from the screening layer is drawn in through theperforated ducting section 8 when the air flow from the fan 17 in thelower ducting is section 4 decreases. The automatic controls (not shown)of the shelved cupboard can thereby arrange for the damper 14 to beturned to the position in which it closes off the perforated ductingsection 8, while simultaneously deactivating and possibly heating thecooling element 11 by means of a heating element (not shown). Closingoff the perforated ducting section 8 further causes both fans 16, 17within the shelved cupboard to be connected directly in series, so as toincrease the circulation rate past the cooling element 11 and give morerapid defrosting. Also, due to the pressure conditions, the mixture ofinitially cooled air and any drawn-in indoor air that circulates duringthe defrosting will not get in between the refrigerated goods 2.Moreover, the speed of the fan 15 that creates the layer of indoor airoutside the opening 1 will be increased in order to maintain the laminarflows past the opening 1. Thus the screening effect of the two layersflowing past the opening 1 will effectively prevent the refrigeratedgoods 2 from being exposed to unwanted entry of any significant amountof indoor air.

It is apparent from FIG. 3 that fluid communication has been establishedbetween the internal cavities 6, 7 of the shelves 12 and the primary airduct 5 (105 in FIGS. 4 and 5) through connecting ports 8′ (108′ in FIGS.4 and 5) that extend through vertical boundary/dividing walls for theperforated duct 8.

In its broad features, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of ashelved cupboard according to the present invention exhibits the sameconstructional design as the shelved cupboard structure of FIGS. 1 to 3.

Thus the shelved cupboard of FIGS. 4 and 5 has an uncovered opening 101,a back wall, a roof wall and two opposite side walls, as well asinternal dividing walls that define a ducting system adapted tocirculation of primary and secondary air.

In the shelved cupboard shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the coolingelement/battery 111A is positioned on a drip tray 125 inside ahorizontal ducting section 123′ in the upper part, as opposed to thecooling element/battery 11 of FIGS. 1 to 3, arranged in the lower partof the internal cavity of the shelved cupboard. In ducting section 123′,secondary air coming from the screening layer inside the opening 101passes into and through the cooling element 111A to be cooled, in orderto create primary air (directional arrows with double arrowheads) thatvia a fan 117A is caused to flow from the portion of the horizontalducting section 123′ most proximal to the opening 101 and further in anunderlying horizontal ducting section 124 to a vertical primary air duct105.

The primary air duct 105 may by means of a rotatable damper 114A be putout of action during the defrosting mode of the shelved cupboard, seeFIG. 5.

From the primary air duct 105, which is closed at its lower end, theprimary air flows via ports 108′ (corresponding to the ports 8′ of FIGS.1 to 3) and into the hollow cupboard shelves 112 having outlet nozzles107 located nearest the opening 101 for somewhat less cold air, termedsecondary air, which on flowing out of the outlet nozzles 107 hasabsorbed heat from shelves and refrigerated goods, thereby coolingthese. As is apparent from FIG. 3, the ports 108′ are formed by piecesof piping extending in a sealing manner through the dividing walls thatdefine a vertical ducting section 108 with perforations 113 in adelimiting dividing wall located most proximal to the uncovered cupboardopening 101.

Secondary air flowing out of the outlet nozzles 107 of the shelves 112is sucked into the last-mentioned vertical ducting section 108 by a fan116A and carried towards outlet nozzle 110A (corresponding to the nozzle10 in FIGS. 1 to 3), in order to then be blown out in the downwarddirection to form said air curtain/screening layer immediately insidethe front wall edges of the shelved cupboard defining the uncoveredopening 101. The nozzle(s) 107 is/are disposed in an angled, downwardfacing outlet portion of the shelf body 112; however this could also bedirected upwards.

In the lowermost area of the shelved cupboard, secondary air from thescreening layer then flows into a rear vertical duct 123 viaperforations 127 in a dividing wall 128 between the lower end of theduct 108 and the bottom of the cupboard. This secondary air is caused toflow upward in the duct 123 via the sucking action of the fan 117A, tothe upper end of the duct 123, where it passes into said upperhorizontal ducting portion 123′ wherein the cooling element/battery 111Ahas been installed as previously indicated, whereupon the process isrepeated.

In the defrosting mode, the cooling element/battery 111A is renderedinactive, and the damper 114A is rotated down to a position in which itcloses off duct 108 at its upper end.

The circulation of secondary air during defrosting is indicated byarrows, and generally follows the course that formed the basis of thedefrosting airflows of the shelved cupboard according to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a third embodiment that in inventive terms isconsistent with the two previous.

By the schematic vertical section in FIG. 6, the shelved cupboard isconstructed so as to have a structure generally corresponding to that ofthe other embodiments (FIGS. 1-3 and 4, 5 respectively). A firstvertical upward ducting section 205 forms part of the primary airducting system of the shelved cupboard, and is supplied with cooled air,primary air, from a lower horizontally directed ducting section 204 thatholds a cooling element 211 and a downstream fan 230.

Said first, upward ducting section 205 for primary air communicates withthrough cavities 206, 207 in the hollow cupboard shelves 212.

That part of the interior cavity of the shelved cupboard which lies infront of and between the shelves communicates with a second, rearducting section 232 (for secondary air) via pipes 205′ (only one drawnin FIG. 7) with forward inlet holes 213.

At the top, this rear, vertically directed secondary air ducting section232 passes into a forward directed, horizontal ducting section 209associated with fan 216 and damper 214 for setting of the ducting systemto operation/defrosting in what is in principle the same manner as forthe two above described embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cupboard for storing and refrigerating goods,said cupboard comprising: an opening, said opening providing access to astorage area wherein the goods are stored; a primary ducting systemdirecting air cooled by a cooling element into said storage area torefrigerate the goods; and a secondary ducting system connected inseries with said primary ducting system, said secondary ducting systemcollecting air from said storage area, and directing said air acrosssaid opening to create an air curtain across said opening.
 2. Thecupboard according to claim 1, wherein said primary ducting systemcomprises a lower section and a vertical section disposed along a backwall of said cupboard.
 3. The cupboard according to claim 1, furthercomprising at least one shelf for supporting the goods, said at leastone shelf disposed in said storage area.
 4. The cupboard according toclaim 3, wherein said at least one shelf comprises an air conduitcommunicating with said primary ducting system and conveying the cooledair from said primary ducting system into said storage area.
 5. Thecupboard according to claim 4, wherein said at least one shelf furthercomprises an outlet nozzle, said outlet nozzle disposed at an end ofsaid shelf proximate to said opening in said cupboard.
 6. The cupboardaccording to claim 4, further comprising a plurality of shelves, whereineach shelf comprises a spacer.
 7. The cupboard according to claim 1,further comprising a primary air fan disposed in said primary ductingsystem and effecting air flow through said primary ducting system. 8.The cupboard according to claim 7, wherein said primary air fan isdisposed in a lower section of said primary ductwork.
 9. The cupboardaccording to claim 1, wherein said cooling element comprises anevaporation battery.
 10. The cupboard according to claim 1, wherein saidcooling element is positioned above a drip tray.
 11. The cupboardaccording to claim 1, wherein said secondary ducting system comprises aperforated section through which air from said storage area iscollected.
 12. The cupboard according to claim 11, wherein saidperforated section is disposed along a back wall of said storage area.13. The cupboard according to claim 1, wherein said secondary ductingsystem comprises an outlet nozzle for directing air across said openingto form said air curtain.
 14. The cupboard according to claim 13,wherein said outlet nozzle is disposed along a top portion of saidopening.
 15. The cupboard according to claim 1, further comprising asecondary air fan disposed said secondary ducting system, said secondaryair fan drawing air from said storage area into said secondary ductingsystem and forcing air from said secondary ducting system across saidopening to form said air curtain.
 16. The cupboard according to claim 1,further comprising means for creating a secondary air curtainimmediately outside of, and adjacent to, said air curtain from saidsecondary ducting system.
 17. The cupboard according to claim 16,wherein said means comprise a fan disposed in an external ductingsection.
 18. The cupboard according to claim 1, further comprising acommon outlet section uniting said primary ducting system and saidsecondary ducting system, wherein said primary ducting system and saidsecondary ducting system are selectably placed in communication withsaid outlet section by a dampening member.
 19. The cupboard according toclaim 18, wherein said dampening member comprises a valve that isselectively positionable to alternatively link either said primaryducting system or secondary ducting system to said outlet member. 20.The cupboard according to claim 19, wherein when said primary ductingsystem is linked to said outlet member, air cooled by said coolingelement is directed across said opening to form an air curtain acrosssaid opening.
 21. The cupboard according to claim 20, wherein when saidprimary ducting system is linked to said outlet member, a primary airfan and a secondary air fan communicate in series to force air throughsaid primary ducting system and said outlet member and across saidopening.
 22. A cupboard for storing and refrigerating goods, saidcupboard comprising: an opening, said opening providing access to astorage area wherein the goods are stored; a primary ducting systemdirecting air cooled by a cooling element into said storage area torefrigerate the goods; a secondary ducting system connected in serieswith said primary ducting system, said secondary ducting systemcollecting air from said storage area and directing the collected airacross said opening to create an air curtain across said opening; and adampening member, said dampening member selectively positionable toclose said secondary ducting system and open said primary ductingsystem, such that air from said primary ducting system bypasses saidstorage area and is directed across said opening to create said aircurtain.
 23. A method of controlling circulation of air in arefrigerated cupboard having a storage area accessible through anopening, said method comprising the steps of: directing air cooled by acooling element into the storage area to refrigerate goods storedtherein; and collecting air in series from that directed into thestorage area and redirecting the collected air across said opening tocreate an air curtain across said opening.